


better left unsaid

by kiyala



Series: soulbonding [3]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Communication Failure, M/M, Post-it Notes, Stubborn Idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-09
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 10:20:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/835806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grantaire refuses to speak to him, or even be in the same room as him. Enjolras has a collection of post-it notes living at the bottom of his bag, with notes that he can't bring himself to leave behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	better left unsaid

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last fic I'm writing for the soulbonding verse, I _swear_. I had this in mind back when I was writing twenty-three, so I couldn't just leave it unwritten.

_Grantaire,_

_Looks like it's going to rain today._

_Don't forget your umbrella if you go out._

_\- E._

Enjolras sticks the post-it note onto the fridge as the coffee machine warms up. The bright green paper sticks out against the white of the fridge, impossible to miss. It keeps catching Enjolras' eye as he moves around the house, getting his bag packed for another day of work. He can't hear Grantaire upstairs, which means that he's probably passed out in his studio. Enjolras had paced in front of the door while doing his tie, trying to work up the nerve to at least knock, if not open the door and check on him.

The thing is, he knows that it would be unwelcome. If anything, it would only make things worse. Enjolras doesn't want to know how much worse things can get, so he leaves Grantaire alone. One of these days, Grantaire will feel like talking to him again. Until then, Grantaire seems more than happy to let the bond eat at him and Enjolras has little choice but to do the same.

Outside, the sky is filled with dark clouds, heavy with rain. It matches Enjolras' mood. He grabs his umbrella and the bright post-it note on the fridge catches his attention once again. It's cheerfully bright, to the point that it's almost offensive.

Crossing the room with long strides, Enjolras tears it off the fridge, crumpling it into a ball and shoving it into his bag. It joins the countless other crumpled post-its living at the bottom of his bag with messages that Grantaire never gets to read. Enjolras picks his umbrella up again, furious at himself now, and leaves the house.

«·»

_Grantaire,_

_We're low on milk so can you pick up—_

Enjolras doesn't finish writing the note, crumpling it into a ball and shoving it into his bag. He buys the milk on his way home after work.

«·»

_Grantaire,_

_This is ridiculous, but I miss you._

_I'm sorry I hurt your feelings._

_Can we talk?_

_\- E._

When Enjolras sticks it on the fridge, he stands there and stares at it, reading it over and over again, imagining Grantaire pulling it off the fridge, tearing it up, throwing it out.

He takes it off the fridge. It joins the others.

«·»

_Grantaire,_

_I know that by the time you read this, you'll be here._

_But I also know that you won't answer your phone._

_So I'm saying this now. It's 1am. Please come home._

_\- E._

«·»

_I fucking hate you._

_I hate you so much._

_\- E._

«·»

_Called into work._

_We'll talk when I get back._

This time, the note stays on the fridge. Enjolras doesn't have the time to second-guess himself. As much as he doesn't want to, he knows he has to leave right now if he has any hope of getting through all the work he has waiting for him at the office.

He doesn't know how Valjean's daughter is going to sort out the problem with her bond, but if Enjolras is being entirely honest with himself, he can't quite muster the sympathy that she deserves. Not when he's been dealing with Grantaire and his frustratingly stubborn refusal to just give in to their own bond. He supposes that it's just up to luck that she'll find her other half again, and he hopes that she does. For her own sake, as well as his. As soon as she does, Valjean will be less stressed, and Enjolras won't be scrambling to get both of their work done at the same time.

It's difficult to believe that it will actually happen, though, and that makes Enjolras wonder if Grantaire's pessimism is beginning to rub off on him.

«·»

"Hey Enjolras, where's that book you were saying I should read?" Grantaire asks, looking through the stack of books on the coffee table.

Enjolras looks up from the couch, where he's settled with his own book. He points at his work bag, which is in its usual place against the wall. "I finished reading it this afternoon, so…"

Grantaire crosses the room, opening the bag. "Aha! Gotcha."

Satisfied, Enjolras settles back on the couch, waiting for his husband to join him. Except he doesn't. Enjolras looks up at Grantaire again, his heart sinking when he realises there's a crumpled post-it note stuck to the book's cover.

"What's this? Is that my name on it?" Grantaire doesn't usually go through Enjolras' things, and it's been so long since they've started actually talking when they need to, so Enjolras had completely forgotten about the post-it notes in his bag. He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything, Grantaire opens the note up and reads it. "…Oh."

Enjolras puts his book down and sits up. "Grantaire…"

"There's more in your bag," Grantaire notices. "When are these from?"

"It doesn't matter," Enjolras insists. "Please, just ignore them."

"It's important to me," Grantaire replies, already reaching for another one and unfolding it. He makes a pained sound as he reads it. "When?"

"Back when you were avoiding me." Enjolras rubs a hand over his face. "Back before you helped Marius and Cosette find each other again. A long time ago, Grantaire. Forget what they say. I was angry, I was stupid."

Grantaire shakes his head. "You were hurt. I did this to you. _Grantaire, I don't even know why I'm writing this because you won't see it. I miss you_."

"Forget them." Enjolras gets to his feet, pulling the next one out of Grantaire's hand and dropping it to the floor. He holds Grantaire's hands in his own tightly, their rings pressing into each other's skin. "None of it matters now. We're past all of that."

Grantaire wraps his arms around Enjolras, holding him close. "I'm never going to make you feel like that again. Ever."

"You haven't. I promise. I love you."

«·»

When Enjolras wakes up the next morning, Grantaire is still asleep, curled up against his side with an arm around his waist. There's a post-it note stuck to his bedside lamp.

_Good morning._

_I love you._

_\- R._

Enjolras smiles, running his hand through Grantaire's hair affectionately. Grantaire sleeps on, and Enjolras gets out of bed, going to the bathroom.

When he goes downstairs to make coffee, the first thing he notices is the small pile of post-it notes on the table. They've all been pulled out of his bag, carefully unfolded, and placed into a neat stack. Grantaire's read through them all and Enjolras sighs, shaking his head, not even the least bit surprised.

Then he walks into the kitchen, and that's when he sees it.

The fridge is covered with post-it notes, to the point that Enjolras can't actually see any of the fridge underneath. It's bright, with no two post-it notes of the same colour touching each other. Enjolras doesn't even want to think of how long it took Grantaire to do.

Each note has something written on it, and no two notes are the same.

_I love you._

_You make my life so much better._

_Nice butt._

_You're the best thing that ever happened to me._

_Best husband ever._

Enjolras stands there, all thoughts of coffee forgotten as he reads them all. He goes from the first row at the top of the fridge to the bottom, near the floor, and when he stands up again, he notices Grantaire at the foot of the stairs, watching him.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there?" Enjolras holds a hand out and Grantaire grins, crossing the room.

"I love you," Grantaire murmurs, kissing him.

Enjolras kisses him deeply in reply, pulling back with a grin. "I noticed. I love you too, you know."

"Yeah." Grantaire rests their foreheads together. "I do."


End file.
